Can I work on my house on Sundays?

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Codyleger

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Hello everyone, I am a Catholic and am curious to know what parameters working on Sunday is okay. We are currently in the middle of remodeling our home and I’ve been working on Sunday after Mass. Is this something I should refrain from doing? It’s major renovations that need to be done to keep the house livable, and I work a mon-fri job that doesn’t leave much time for work during the week.
 
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Sunday is meant to be a day of rest, from your normal job so you can refocus your life.

That being said I always do work on Sundays. It refocuses me better than anything. Work 65 hours a week dealing with people and never have time to myself. Nothing refocuses me better than jumping on the tractor or doing a major remodel project. I come home from mass have lunch with the family then head out to whatever is on the list. Pop in the headphones and catch up on the episodes of Catholic Answers or Open Line or Called to Communion. Listening to those guys do Apologetics while I’m building something or cutting grass calms me and centers me on Jesus better than anything else. The work activity seems to get the blood flowing and get rid of the stress of the week while 8 hours of podcasts is like participating in an all day Bible study.

Works for me, some might not agree but since I started with the podcasts while working I am closer than ever to our Lord.

Just my 2 cents.

God Bless

PS He was a carpenter also, I think he’ll understand. 😉
 
I don’t work on the house on Sunday.

You should try spending the time with family or doing good deeds (like visiting a nursing home).
 
Ok maybe I should have been clearer in my OP. I’m not so much worried about what you do personally as to what exceptions the Church may have regarding this rule. Although I do appreciate the feedback.
 
“…a major renovation needed to keep the house liveable.” I’d think a man maintaining his house for the safety of his family qualifies as a pretty good deed. Not everyone can afford to pay a contractor for such work.
 
I think the key word is “necessary.” If the work is necessary, I go ahead with a clear conscience. Your renovation is necessary, it seems to me.
 
Catholics are not Puritans. The Church does not forbid physical work around the house on Sunday. It is a matter of prudential judgment.

““Can. 1247 On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are obliged to participate in the Mass.
Moreover, they are to abstain from those works and affairs which hinder the worship to be rendered to God, the joy proper to the Lord’s day, or the suitable relaxation of mind and body.””
 
I mean I think Jesus was pretty clear when he rebuked the Pharisees about this and healed on the Sabbath.
He didn’t care. Neither should we.
 
I totally understand those that work on the Sabbath and yet the 10 commandments clearly state that one should not work on the Sabbath. Moses even put a man to death for working on the Sabbath.
I go to mass on Sunday, but my job will require me to work on Sunday… I would lose my job otherwise. I guess I’m in a bind. This commandment is the one most people seem to ignore…something tells me it shouldn’t be but there always seems to be understandable loopholes. I guess O should read catechism on this one…
 
A study friend on mine, who is becoming a permanent deacon, said that Sunday is always family day in his family. Going to mass and then doing things together as a family. No sport games or competitions but they could build a tree house in the garden or visit relatives.

Is it possible to involve your children in parts of the renovation on the house? Safety first of course but even a young child could help with bringing and sorting screws, sweeping the floor, bringing water to drink etc.

A priest once explained the day of rest, as everyone enjoying spending time together, like children when they play for hours or a game without anyone getting a red or yellow card or being upset about something. That is the relationship we should have with God and our fellow human beings. I like this explanation very much.
 
If it is necessary work, yes, it’s okay. Sometimes, you just have to do the work on weekends. Even if you don’t have to make renovations, emergencies can come up that make working on Sundays unavoidable.

During Lent, our parish helps build houses with Habitat For Humanity. So Mass is missed at our parish on those days. But sharing the love of Christ as everyone works together in charity (love) to help someone have their own home is a true gift and His Presence is felt there.
 
FrancisPio said:
I totally understand those that work on the Sabbath and yet the 10 commandments clearly state that one should not work on the Sabbath. Moses even put a man to death for working on the Sabbath.
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Thank goodness for the loopholes, if not we would be putting all of our priests to death. 😉
FrancisPio said:
I go to mass on Sunday, but my job will require me to work on Sunday… I would lose my job otherwise. I guess I’m in a bind. This commandment is the one most people seem to ignore…something tells me it shouldn’t be but there always seems to be understandable loopholes. I guess O should read catechism on this one…
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Here’s the part that pertains to this topic…
2184 …The institution of the Lord’s Day helps everyone enjoy adequate rest and leisure to cultivate their familial, cultural, social, and religious lives.122

2185 … the faithful are to refrain from engaging in work or activities that hinder the worship owed to God, the joy proper to the Lord’s Day, the performance of the works of mercy, and the appropriate relaxation of mind and body.123 Family needs or important social service can legitimately excuse from the obligation of Sunday rest. The faithful should see to it that legitimate excuses do not lead to habits prejudicial to religion, family life, and health.

2186 Those Christians who have leisure should be mindful of their brethren who have the same needs and the same rights, yet cannot rest from work because of poverty and misery. Sunday is traditionally consecrated by Christian piety to good works and humble service …often difficult to do on other days of the week. Sunday is a time for reflection, silence, cultivation of the mind, and meditation which furthers the growth of the Christian interior life.

2187 … Every Christian should avoid making unnecessary demands on others that would hinder them from observing the Lord’s Day. Traditional activities (sport, restaurants, etc.), and social necessities (public services, etc.), require some people to work on Sundays, but everyone should still take care to set aside sufficient time for leisure…

2188 In respecting religious liberty and the common good of all, Christians should seek recognition of Sundays and the Church’s holy days as legal holidays. … If a country’s legislation or other reasons require work on Sunday, the day should nevertheless be lived as the day of our deliverance which lets us share in this “festal gathering,” this "assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven.
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The Church gives us a lot of room on this one. Everyone’s situation is different and we can’t all be thrown into the same pot.

If your job requires you to work on Sundays, I’m sure God would rather you work on Sunday in good cheer thanking Him throughout the day for giving you the ability to put food on your table, vs not working on Sunday and spending the entire day praying and worrying how you will put food on your table tomorrow.

The first one sounds a lot more restful than the second to me.

God Bless
 
I think you should try to do the work on Saturday. God gave us a day of rest for our own good. We aren’t forbidden from doing any work on Sunday. But we should try our best to set aside Sunday as a day of rest. Rest doesn’t mean sitting around doing nothing. But renovating a house would seem to me pretty strenuous work.

One other consideration is does your work disturb your neighbors Sunday. That depends on the specific facts. But we should also consider this.

If you absolutely have to work on your house to make it livable then you can work on Sundays. We aren’t obligated to endanger our lives because of the Sabbath.
 
To address some people’s concerns. Yes, my wife and I still go to mass. We have no children, and my wife does help with the house when I work on Sunday. We both enjoy the work, but we’re just ready for the house to be done! Which is why we’re even considering working on sundays… we usually have a very laid back day.
 
If your house is truly not livable, ask your priest for an exception (or
whatever they call it).
 
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Yes, commandment 4 or 3 depending on which version you subscribe to. Honoring Sabbath is a life changer!
 
MT1926 said:
Here’s the part that pertains to this topic…
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You forgot to add that these quotations were from the catechism! But, as always, the catechsim simply reflects common sense.

As another poster pointed out, we’re not Puritans. And we shouldn’t take every verse of the Bible literally. Go to Mass–Sat. night if you need to–and do whatever you need to on Sunday. If you can devote time to your family, good for you. But not everyone can.
 
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lilypadrees said:
During Lent, our parish helps build houses with Habitat For Humanity. So Mass is missed at our parish on those days.
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What??? Mass is missed on those days? Do you mean a daily mass or Sunday Mass? Canceling mass for Habitat for Humanity doesn’t seem like a valid reason to cancel Mass, unless you are referring to reducing the number of Mass times for one particular Sunday.
 
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